Direct current polar relay



Sept. l0, 1935. J. F. MERKEI.

DIRECT CURRENT POLAR RELIAY Filed May 12, 1931 @PM/Qa Z/Z Z5, ATroRNEY ASept. l0, 1935.

J. FQ MERKEL DIRECT CURRENT POLAR RELAY Filed May 12, 1951 ssheets-sheet 2 lNvEgToR BY i@ ZM /'VATTORNEYl fl Slpt.` 10, 1935. 1 F,MERKEL 2,013,990

DIRECT CURRENT POLAR RELAY Filed May l2, 1951 3 Shees-SheefI 3 FIG.. 4.

Patented Sept. 10, 1935 DIRECT CURRENT POLAR RELAY Joseph F. Merkel,Rochester, N. Y., assgnor to -General Railway Signal Company, Rochester,

p'pleaummy 12, 1931, sei-iai No. 536,917 Claims. (Cl. '200%110) Thisinvention relates in general to relays adapted for railway use, and hasmore particular reference to direct current relays of the twopositionpolarized type.

5 Among the objects of this invention is to; provide a two-positionpolarized direct current relay of the motor type wherein contacts areoperated by the motor driving meansto either of two extreme positionsand are held in such extreme positions by suitable spring biasing means.

' A further object is to provide that the contacts shall be quicklyoperated from one extreme position to another as compared to therelatively slow movement of the motor driving means, and that anyrebound or oscillation of the armature from its extreme postionaydue tomomentum gained in operation, shall not result in movement of thecontacts as then operated. A further object is to provide a suitablerelay structure or mechanism in a compact arrangement which will beparticularly leihcient and dependable for use in railroad signallingsystems, as for example, in the remote control circuit for machines asdisclosed in the application of W. H.l Hoppe et al. Ser. No. 474,758,iiled August 12, 1930 which became Patent No. 1,877,876 dated September20,

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the presentinvention will be in part 'obvious from the accompanying drawings and inpart pointed out as the description progresses.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be made to theaccompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters refer tocorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in whichzn 1 is aplan view of a relay constructed in accordance with the presentinvention with certain parts thereof shown in cros's section as viewedon line I-I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the relay of this invention withcertain parts shown in cross section as viewed on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;`

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the relay of this invention with certain partsthereof removed, as viewed terminal structure for the brush holder ofthe relay as viewed on line 6--6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a, fragmentary sectional view of the spring stop of the relayas viewed on line 'I-'I of Fig. 1; -and 5 Fig. 8 is a fragmentarysectional view of the spring support for the cover glass of the relay asviewed on line 8-8 of Fig. 1,.

With reference to the accompanying drawings,

;the relay of the present invention may be said 10 to comprise a motorstructure and a contact structure, with these -two structures socombined in a single unit as to be most efficient and to require thesmallest amount of space. The relay is vertically arrangedjthat is, themotor strucl5 ture or driving means forms the lower part of the relayabove which the contact structure or mechanism is mounted.

The base member B (see Figs. 2 and 3) of the relay is of the Vmoldedskeleton type with ribs 20 and webs suitably located to strengthen themember and with four projecting base lugs I0, II, I2 and I3 suitablydrilled for receiving bolts tosecure this base member B in its properlocation; while at the central portion of this base 25 member B (seeFig. 2), a depression is provided for receiving the motor armature A andto form a. seat for its bearings, as hereinafter described. The uppersurface of the base member B is iinished to provide a smooth surfaceupon which 30 the permanent magnets M1, M2, M3, and M4 are suitablypositioned together with a motor frame member F.

The motor frame member F. includes two iron pole pieces P1 and 1:'2 (seeFig. 4) oppositely dis 35 posed and around which the remainder of themetal of the frame member is molded. In order that these pole pieces maybe suitably held in position, each one is provided with six extendinglugs I4. After the motor frame member F is 40 molded, the inside isfinished to receive the armature A while the outer surface of the polepieces P are also suitably nished so as to4 make close contact with therespective poles oi' the permanent magnets M1, M1, M3 and M4. Also, 45

` the lower side of this motor frame member F is finished to form atight tting annular rabbet joint withthe upper surface of the basemember B around the depression provided for receiving the armature A(see Fig. 2).

The motor frame member F is held in position by four tap bolts I5, I6,I'I and I8 with their respective lock washers; while the permanentmagnets M1 and M2 are held in position around the motor frame member Fon the right hand 55 side (see Fig. 2) and to the base member B by aclamp I9 and a stud bolt 2B with a suitable nut and lock washer, andsimilarly the permanent magnets M1l and M4 are held in positionl aroundthe motor frame member F on the left hand side and secured to the basemember B by a clamp 2| and a stud bolt 22 with a suitable nut and lockwasher. l

The base member VB, the motor of the frame member F except the polepieces P. the clamps I9 and 2l, together with the bolts 20 and 22 arepreferably formed of some non-magnetic metal, such for example asa1uminum.brass or the like, so as not to interfere with the magneticcircuits of the motor structure by forming undesirable magnetic leakagepaths. f

The armature A has not been shown in great detail, but is preferablyformed of iron laminations mounted upon a suitable shaft 25 and providedwith windings so arranged as to provide two poles. At this point, it maybe well to state that the opposite poles as p1 and p1 of the armatureare preferably located. as shown, displaced 30 from the center line ofthe pole pieces P1 and P1' (see Fig. 4), as the relay mechanism isarranged to allow a movement of the armature A which provides that theamature assumes corresponding relative positions with respect to thepoles P in either of its two extreme operated positions whereby to stopthe armature, in each case, while the magnetic attraction is urging itto further movement.

A ball bearing 25 comprising an outer and inner bearing race is providedfitted into a bearing seat in the central depressed portion of the basemember B. The amature A, located with- .in the motor frame member F, isvertically supported by the inner race of the ball bearing 23 by theshoulder 2l of the armature shaft 2l.

A circular commutator member 26 (see Figs. 2 Aand 3) of any suitableinsulating material, is fitted over the armature shaft 25 up to theshoulder 21, and is prevented from turning on this shaft by reason ofsuitable knurling thereon. This commutator member 2l has located onopposite sides commutator segments Il and 29 of suitable conductingmaterial, which segments are riveted in position and are connected tothe coils of the armature A by suitable lead wires.

'Ihe housing. of the armature A and its commutator is in part comprisedof a molded bakelite wall member Wv arranged to be mounted on the motorframe member F by an annular rabbet joint. Extending through this wallmember W are two terminal posts Il and l5 with suitable lock nuts andwasherawhich secure brush holder support members 8l and Il withinrecesses provided by extending bosses on the wall member W. Thisprevents any turning movement of the supporting members Il and Il whiletightening the lock nuts of the terminal posts. Protruding extensions I9and I0 are riveted to the support members 3J and Il respectively towhich brush.

holders Il and 42 are pivotally mounted.

These brush holders Il and 42 are formed in a U-shape, a part of whichis removed so as to ilt over the respective extensions Il and lli so asto be pivotally attached thereto (see Fig. 6). 'I'he inside of the Uformed by each brush holder provides a recess for suitable brushes Iland Il which are held in position by bolts 45 and 4Bn respectively (seeFig. 3). These brushes 43 and 44 may be oi' carbon impregnated withcopper or any other suitable type brush material adapted to cooperatewith commutator segments. At the free ends of the brush holders 4| andI2 insulated members 41 and 4B are riveted thereto Vbeing biased towardseach other (see 3) by a, coil spring 49. This coil spring is adjusted to5 provide the proper tension for the desired pressure` with which thebrushes 43 and 44 engage their respective commutator segments 29 and 28.

A combination terminal block and frame member T of molded bakeliteserves to enclose the 10 space allotted to the armature A and itsassoelated commutator and brushes. 'I'his frame member T is generallycircular in shape with terminal posts 55, 5 6, 51, 58, 59, 60, 6|, 62and 63 arranged around the outer edge, The lower side l5 of this framemember has a circular raised portion adapted to form an annular rabbetjoint with the wall member W; While the upper side of this frame memberTprovides a circular contact recess or cavity which is offset withrespect to 20` the circular armature recess or cavity (see Fig. 2,)

The frame member T and the wall member W are secured to the motor framemember F by two tap bolts 6l and 65. The wall member W is 4in- 25 suredoi proper alignment with the frame member T and frame member F by twoextending bosses 66 and 61 through which the tap bolts 64 and. 65respectively pass.

The upper end of the shaft 25 protrudes 30 through the frame member Tthrough an opening provided therein and in so doing passes through theinner race of a. ball bearing 68, the outer race of which is pressfitted into a suitable seat provided in the frame member 'I'. The ex- 35tending end of the i aft 25 is squared to receive a crank arm 69 whi his further held in position upon the shaft by a tap bolt 10 threadedinto the end of the shaft. l

The crank arm 59 serves two purposes. namely, 40 to engage spring stopswhich absorb the momen* tum given to the armature during operation, andto suitably engage the .contact operating mechanism so as to impart themotion of the armature to the movable contacts. Spring stops S1 and 45S* are included in the contact cavity, one on each side oi the shaft2li.

The spring stop S1, for example, has been shown in section in Fig. 7 ofthe accompanying drawings.` This stop is shown as comprising an outer 50shell 'H which is secured to the frame member T by screws l2 and 13. Theouter shell 1| is adapted to receive a plunger 'M having a head 15 and ashoulder 15. 'Ihe head 15 ci the plunger 1 4 passes through an openingin the outer shell 55 'Il xmtil the shoulder 16 engages .the shell andis normally held or biased to this position, as illustrated, by a coilspring l1 which is passed over the plunger'll and compressed by thehollow nut 'I8 threaded into position where it is held by a 60 suitablelock washer.

The spring stops S1 and S1 are positioned so that the heads of theirrespective plungers engage the opposite sides of the crank arm 69 whenthe armature has completed the corresponding move- 65 ment of 120 fromone position to the other. At the center of the contact cavity, a studbolt B5 is threaded into frame member T holding a washer l5 in positionaround shaft 25 of the armature. At the upper end of this stud bolt 85,a contact drive member 81 is pivoted thereto and held in position by asuitable washer 88 and cotter key 89. This contact drive member 81 hasthreepins 90, Si and 92 mounted upon three protruding extremities, whilea fourth protrud- 75 ing extremity is bifurcated to receive avroller 93which is mounted on a bearing pin 94 suitably supported by-the crank arm69. The roller'93 is held upon this pin 94 because of the groove in theroller, the outer edges of which engage the contact drive member 81 asmay be best seen in Figs. 1 and 5.

Extending toward the center of the contact cavity from the respectiveterminal posts located around the edge of the frame member T, arecontact support members 95, 96, 91, 98, S9, ,3|00, |0|, |02, and |03.The contact supports 95, 91, 98, |00, |0|, and |03 are up-turned atright angles to which suitable contact points of coin silver,platinum-indium or the like are riveted. Between each pair of thesefixed contacts is a movable contact member pivotally held by a pinextending upwardly through its respective contact support member. Eachone of the movable contact members is provided with a pair of contactpoints of coin silver, platinum-iridium or the like, which are adaptedto engage their respective fixed 4contact points when the movablecontact members are in proper positions.

For example, movable contact member |05 formed in the shape of a rockerarm is pivotally mounted on contact support member S9 by the pin |06which is riveted to the support member (see Fig. 5,) This movablecontact member |05 has an ar'm |01 extending towards the central part ofthe contact cavity opposite a corresponding extending arm of the contactdrive member and has a pin |08 passing through it. The arm |01 isconnected to the extending arm of the contact drive member carrying pin9| by a com- -pressible connector comprising two flat slotted screwshaped insulating pieces ||0 and two insulating washers ||2 and ||3,'anda coil spring ||4. The insulating piece ||0 is placed on the upper sideof the extending arms while the insulating piece is placed on the lowerside of the extending arms with each of these pieces so located that thepins 9| and |08 fall within their respective slots at either end ofthese pieces. The insulating washers ||2 and ||3 are located over thepieces ||0 and I and are biased apart by coil spring I4, which iscompressed sufliciently to produce the desired contact pressure.

It is obvious that the movement of contact drive member 81 from onepositionto the other will cause the coil spring i4 to be furthercompressed which willv then act upon the movable contact member |05 soas to actuate it quickly to the opposite position when the pin 0| haspassed beyond a line passing through. the pins |05 and |08. In otherwords, the contact drive member 01 together with each of thecompressible connectors provide toggle means or over-center devices forquickly snapping the respective movable contact members from oneposition to the other depending upon the direction of movement of thecontact drive member 81.

The contact support members 05, 80, 91, 98, 88, |00, |0|, |02, and |03are provided with recesses in the combination terminal block and framemember T so that a level surface is presented to the lower edge of acover C.

This cover member C is circular in shape and is formed of moldedbakelite and has an openlng at the top which is provided with a feltwasher |20 passing around the inside thereof and against which a coverglass |2| is located. This cover glass |2| is held in position by fourspring members |22, |23, |24 and |25 which are attached to the cover Cat the four-extending ears |26,

|21, |28, and |20 respectively. These springs are permanently fixed tothe cover by eyelets which are spun through holes in the respectivespring members and holes in the extending ears of the cover C (see Fig.8), where, for example, spring |23 is attached to extending ear |21 byeyelet |35. The tap bolts |30, |3|, |32,and |33, which hold the cover Cin place pass through the inside of the respective eyelets. At the pointon the cover C where the ears |20, |21, |28, and.|29 protrude, recessesare provided on the inside of the cover C for the springs |22, |23, |24,and |25 respectively.

It is noted, that the permanent magnets M1, M2, M3, and M4 are arrangedwith like poles facing each Aother as indicated for example in Fig. 4 ofthe accompanying drawings. With this arrangement the inside of the polepiece P1 is caused to be a north pole, and the inside of the pole pieceP2 is caused to become a south pole. The ccmmutatcr segments and brushesare arranged so that during the 120 movement of the armature, the Samebrush always engages the same commutator segment. Thus, with onepolarity of potential applied to the terminal posts 35 and 38, the polesp1 and p2 will be north and south respectively and hence be repelled bythe pole pieces P1 and l?2 respectively rotating the armature A in aclockwise direction to actuate the contact drive member to an oppositeextreme position thereby closing the opposite or reverse contacts, so tospeak, and opening those contacts illustrated as closed in Fig. l of thedrawings. The application of potential of the opposite polarity wouldo-f course reverse the rotation of the armature and cause theiI elementsof the relay mechanism to assume normal positions as shown.

It is obvious that the movement of the armature A from one extremeposition to the other will gain momentum in such operation which will bedissipated or stopped by the spring stops S1 and S2. Any oscillation orrebound occurring at the completion of each operation cannot of coursemove the movable contact members as then actuated but may merely varythe contact pressure to a very slight degree. This is true as themovement due to any rebound which may occur is such a relatively smalldegree of movement compared to the degree of movement required tooperate the contacts. Thus, the movement of the movable contacts isaccomplished quickly or in what may be termed as snap action and thecontacts positively remain in their operated positions.

Having described a relay mechanism constructed and arranged according tothe present invention, it is desired to be understood that this form isselected to facilitate in the disclosure of the invention rather than tolimit the number of forms which it may assume; and, it is to be furtherunderstood that various modifications, adaptations and alterations maybe applied to the spenent magnets located on said base plate, two polepieces associated with said permanent magnets, a F

molded frame for supporting said pole pieces, an armature adapted torotate upon a vertical axis and cooperating with said two pole pieces,windings on said armature'arrange'd, when energized,

to create two opposite magnetic poles in said armature, commutatorsegments connected to said windings, brushes cooperating with saidcommutator segments, means limiting the movement of said armature to anarc forming any angle less than a straight angle and causing oppositepositions of said armature to bear corresponding relations to said polepieces, whereby energize.- tion ot said armature with one polarity willrotate it to one position and energization with the other polarity willrotate it to the opposite position, and contacts operated by movement ofsaid armature.

2. In a relay mechanism, two xed contacts, a movable contact memberpivotally mounted between said two contacts and adapted to engage one orthe other of said two contacts when moved in one direction or the other,one extending arm on said movable contact member, a contact drive memberpivotally mounted, another extending arm on said contact drive member, aspring biased connector for connecting said one and said anotherextending arms, a crank actuating means for the contact drive member,whereby said movable contact member is moved to and held against one orthe other of said two xed contacts when said one and said anotherextending arms are out oi alignment with the pivot points of saidcontact drive member and the pivot point of said movable contact member,and means for actuating said contact drive member.

3. In a relay mechanism, a base plate, oppositely disposed U-shapedpermanent magnets mounted on said base plate, a motor frame member ofnon-magnetic material mounted ,within said permanent magnets and havingpole pieces engaging said permanent magnets, an armature mounted in saidmotor frame member and adapted to cooperate with said pole pieces, acontact housing member mounted over said motor frame member, contactsmounted on said contact housing member, means operatively connectingsaid armature and said contacts, and a cover for said Contact housinghaving a transparent cover glass mounted therein.

4. In a relay, in combination, a reversible motor drive member, aplurality of fixed contacts, a movable contact member movablealternatively to contact with the xed contacts, an

elastically biased toggle joint connected to the movable contact member,an actuating plate connected to the other end of the' toggle joint, anda crank connection between the drive member and the actuating plate.

20 5. In a relay, in combination, a reversible l motor drive member, aplurality of fixed contacts, a plurality 'of movable contact memberseach movable alternatively to contact with a respective two of the xedcontacts, an elastically biased toggle joint connected to each of themovi able contact members, an actuating plate connected to the otherends of each of the toggle joints, and a crank connection between thedrive member and the actuating plate.

JOSEPKH F. MERKEL.

